Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Changes in Attitudes, Changes in Lattitudes

Over the last several months, I've been going through a lot of changes. Those of you who follow this blog know that I've recently had to add even more restrictions to my diet, and this has in turn caused me to move away from posting recipes and food information.

I realized how much I have enjoyed lately getting to know people who are gluten free, or who are producing gluten-free products for us. And I like writing about their products, too.

But that has created a sticky wicket.

You see, I'm honored and pleased to be a part of the BlogHer network, and it's an association I don't want to mess up. When I signed my contract with BlogHer, I agreed there would be no third-party product endorsements here on my blog.

So rather than cause issues with my BlogHer affiliation (I mean after all, who wouldn't want to be in the company of smart, savvy, women bloggers?) I have created a sister site called "Ging Recommends!"

And here's what I'll do. If I've got a product review for you to see at "Ging Recommends!" I will post a teaser here at this site and a link to the site. That way, all you have to do is click once and you're there. This protects my friends at BlogHer and allows me to stay within the legal parameters of my agreement with them.

But I've also decided to change things up around here, too. I'm going back to recipes! You see, I'm now facing a gluten-free life with LIMITED RICE PRODUCTS. Yes, that staple of the GF Diet causes me great gastric difficulty (it really slows my digestion, jacks up by blood sugar, and hurts the gastroparesis). So I've turned to my blogger and GF friends for advice.

First and foremost, join me in a journey to find a new flour mix that works with my messed-up gastric system and my now insulin-dependent lifestyle. I hope to offer at least one new recipe a week of some kind to show ways I'm cutting back on rice and adding new foods. In fact, the first post this week (coming soon!) will be about one of my recent creations.

In other words, I'm cooking and adapting again. I know some of you missed that -- one friend told me, point blank, that the other stuff was getting old.

But I'll show you how I'm getting by on a diet with limited to no carbs, no sugar, and gluten free. Maybe there's something there to help you, too.

Second, and perhaps the most important new change, I'm going to add a series called "This Gluten-Free Life". At least twice a month I'm going to offer a Q and A with someone who is living gluten free, or who has created a business that caters to gluten-free patrons. I hope to branch into podcasts sometime in the next several months....we'll see how that goes. I always did say I had the perfect face for radio!

And of course, I'll still post my gluten-free adventure stories, notices of events, and of course, my weird old stories.

With this site and "Ging Recommends," you'll have the best of the gluten-free world.

For a long time to come, I hope.

I'd like to thank you for your patience and understanding in this time of change. I'll be back in a day or two with a new post.

2 comments:

I've recently had to embrace the gluten-free life myself and have been collecting blogs to follow. Knowing that there are others who are cheerful and forging on, even when life gets *very* difficult is very heartening to us newbies. I feel I have a good handle on things, but celiac is a difficult diagnosis to live with.

I'm also soy, lactose, corn, blueberry intolerant. As of today, I'm eliminating the nightshade group of veggies. I'm also voluntarily limiting my casein intake as well.

I've cut out rice, too. So no gf mixes for me. I have been using sorghum and millet flour with potato starch. Works for me! My bread recipe is finally tweaked, so I'm not eating fallen loaves anymore. I've been ordering my flours from Bob's Red Mill website, since they are not available at any one store around here. On the website I found millet meal, which I have never seen in any store. I use it in place of corn meal. It's great for coating panfish! Haven't tried it in a cornbread recipe yet.